Birthdays

I recently celebrated another birthday! You young ones hang on, because the years roll by with breathless speed. 

All of a sudden, like me, you'll find yourself in the senior ranks, and the delightful surprise is: it's quite fun after all. The opportunity you have for reflection that the hurry-scurry years seldom allowed is great. 

I recently took time to ponder these past decades: Life for me has been less a self-planned unfolding of my choices, as I used to pompously believe and more an intentional journey with God. A release, a freedom to day by day plunge into the unknown, ordained by Him. And then hanging on tightly and delighting in the tour He's planned.

New options appear at every season for walking through open doors God has placed before me. Entering isn't scary any more. I'm always eager to respond to anything that might be of Him. Sometimes I start leaping too fast, but always I'm guided back, sometimes with a thump, to the reality God intends for me in every course of this feast of life.

Over the years I've learned a few important things that change the way I view everything:

I have no giftedness apart from what our God has placed within me. 

I have no desire for riches except to use them for God's work in the world. 

I have no need of anything that God hasn’t provided. 

I am among all women the same but different because I KNOW that I am richly blessed with treasure that cannot be lost or stolen. 

How I praise my God who has birthed His love and wisdom within me!

My goal is only that I may honor Him adequately with these brief days of life.

And leave a legacy of truth and strength for generations to come.

I embrace fully the heritage I received, including my family's history of alcoholism and dysfunction, but also one of faith and creativity and love which I desire to send forth into eternity. 

My major sadness is that now I take my life journey alone without my beloved husband Wayne. Yet, I often sense him still at my side encouraging, comforting and loving on me.

In EVERY SITUATION, I bow to the One who made heaven and earth and me and I say “Thank You for dwelling in me. And for giving me a power to laugh at life and see the sparkle in each person. And thanks for instilling in me a few talents to invest for the Kingdom to come.”

Happy Birthday, Me! Happy Birthday Us!

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Writing Update: 

Mystery at Wycham Manor is coming soon!

A Widow's Love Story  This new book is hpefully not for you, but a nice gift for a friend who has suffered a great loss.